In recent years, it has been shown that the advantages
of bilingualism
Read the text below and answer following four
questions according to it.
Why bilinguals are smarter
SPEAKING two languages rather than just one has obvious
practical benefits in an increasingly globalized world. But in
recent years, scientists have begun to show that the
advantages of bilingualism are even more fundamental than
being able to converse with a wider range of people. Being
bilingual, it turns out, makes you smarter. It can have a
profound effect on your brain, improving cognitive skills not
related to language and even shielding against dementia in
old age.
This view of bilingualism is remarkably different from the
understanding of bilingualism through much of the 20th
century. Researchers, educators and policy makers long
considered a second language to be an interference,
cognitively speaking, that hindered a child’s academic and
intellectual development.
They were not wrong about the interference: there is ample
evidence that in a bilingual’s brain both language systems
are active even when he is using only one language, thus
creating situations in which one system obstructs the other.
But this interference, researchers are finding out, isn’t so
much a handicap as a blessing in disguise. It forces the
brain to resolve internal conflict, giving the mind a workout
that strengthens its cognitive muscles.
The collective evidence from a number of such studies
suggests that the bilingual experience improves the brain’s
so-called executive function — a command system that
directs the attention processes that we use for planning,
solving problems and performing various other mentally
demanding tasks. These processes include ignoring
distractions to stay focused, switching attention willfully from
one thing to another and holding information in mind — like
remembering a sequence of directions while driving.
The bilingual experience appears to influence the brain from
infancy to old age. Nobody ever doubted the power of
language. But who would have imagined that the words we
hear and the sentences we speak might be leaving such a
deep imprint?
Adaptado de: <http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-benefits-ofbilingualism.html?WT.mc_id=D-NYT-MKTG-MOD-31048-0502-HD&WT.mc_ev=click&WT.mc_c=> Acessado em 25 de abril de 2015
SPEAKING two languages rather than just one has obvious practical benefits in an increasingly globalized world. But in recent years, scientists have begun to show that the advantages of bilingualism are even more fundamental than being able to converse with a wider range of people. Being bilingual, it turns out, makes you smarter. It can have a profound effect on your brain, improving cognitive skills not related to language and even shielding against dementia in old age.
This view of bilingualism is remarkably different from the understanding of bilingualism through much of the 20th century. Researchers, educators and policy makers long considered a second language to be an interference, cognitively speaking, that hindered a child’s academic and intellectual development.
They were not wrong about the interference: there is ample evidence that in a bilingual’s brain both language systems are active even when he is using only one language, thus creating situations in which one system obstructs the other. But this interference, researchers are finding out, isn’t so much a handicap as a blessing in disguise. It forces the brain to resolve internal conflict, giving the mind a workout that strengthens its cognitive muscles.
The collective evidence from a number of such studies suggests that the bilingual experience improves the brain’s so-called executive function — a command system that directs the attention processes that we use for planning, solving problems and performing various other mentally demanding tasks. These processes include ignoring distractions to stay focused, switching attention willfully from one thing to another and holding information in mind — like remembering a sequence of directions while driving.
The bilingual experience appears to influence the brain from infancy to old age. Nobody ever doubted the power of language. But who would have imagined that the words we hear and the sentences we speak might be leaving such a deep imprint?
Gabarito comentado
Gabarito: C
Tema central: interpretação de texto sobre os benefícios do bilinguismo para a cognição. A questão exige identificar a ideia principal do trecho que afirma que, além da utilidade prática de falar duas línguas, existem vantagens cognitivas mais amplas.
Resumo teórico (sucinto): estudos em psicologia cognitiva (por exemplo, pesquisas de Ellen Bialystok) mostram que o bilinguismo melhora a função executiva — capacidade de focar, alternar atenção e manter informações na memória de trabalho. O texto enfatiza que esses benefícios vão além da simples habilidade de comunicar-se com mais pessoas.
Justificativa da alternativa correta (C): a opção C afirma que as vantagens do bilinguismo vão além da capacidade de falar com muitas pessoas. Isso corresponde exatamente à ideia do texto: "advantages ... are even more fundamental than being able to converse with a wider range of people" — ou seja, os benefícios são mais profundos que a só utilidade comunicativa. Logo, C reflete fielmente a ideia principal.
Análise das alternativas incorretas:
A — "can be found exclusively in a globalized world": incorreta. O texto apresenta benefícios cognitivos independentes do contexto global; não limita as vantagens ao mundo globalizado.
B — "are basically those of being able to talk to many people": incorreta. Contradiz o trecho que afirma que os benefícios são mais fundamentais que essa habilidade social.
D — "are outdone by the possibility of dementia it creates": incorreta e enganosa. O texto diz que o bilinguismo pode proteger contra demência, não causá‑la.
E — "relate to how one profits physically but not psychologically": incorreta. O texto fala de benefícios cognitivos/psicológicos (função executiva, proteção contra demência), não apenas físicos.
Estratégias úteis para provas: procure expressões-chave que indiquem comparação ou ampliação (ex.: "even more fundamental", "beyond"); desconfie de alternativas absolutas ("exclusively", "only"); relacione ideias principais do parágrafo inicial com as conclusões finais.
Fonte útil: adaptações de reportagens e estudos em revista científica/jornais (ex.: texto adaptado do NYT; estudos de Bialystok sobre bilinguismo e função executiva).
Gostou do comentário? Deixe sua avaliação aqui embaixo!
